


Wake

by kevinsfriend



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-17 22:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2325089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kevinsfriend/pseuds/kevinsfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This isn't what it looks like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this came from a prompt I saw a week ago in the 'OPI: Olicity Prompt Inspirations' tumblr page that I'll put in the end notes.

Oliver was done.

 

That was it, he'd had it with it all, his being the Arrow, saving the city, fighting for justice. Maybe, he realized, he was just being selfish, but today was one of the days he couldn't help but ask what was in it for him? Why did he have to be the one to make the sacrifices, put his life on the line everyday to save others, all the while being miserable because he couldn't have any of the things he really wanted?

 

And what he really wanted was Felicity. Getting to be the one to take Felicity out on dates, hold her hand down the street, be the shoulder she fell asleep on in the middle of a movie. He wanted the chaste kisses before work and the screaming his name when there was a bug in the house. He’d give anything for being the one she called in the end of the day reminding him to stop by the grocery store, ending the call with an absent minded I love you that meant that much more because it was out of habit. All he wanted was to be a normal guy, only especial in her eyes, instead of being the hero that got to see her doing all that with someone else. He'd tried to give it a shot, but in the end danger would follow him everywhere he went and he couldn't allow it near her, so he had to stay away, even when every fiber of his being longed for her. All because of his stupid mission.

 

There was something about this day. A heavy feeling in the air, a tingling of dread in the tips of his fingers, maybe it was because today he was getting a very clear sight of his future and this was all there was to it: watching her move on and be happy with someone else while he donned the damned hood until the day he got himself killed. Which, right now, he was hoping it would be sooner rather than later.

 

So he was melancholic, he was allowed that much, wasn’t he? He didn't really get much else. He got to mope a little when he felt like he would never get anything out of life. Tomorrow he would be over it, but today he’d just soak in his misery and idly wish he never had got in that fucking boat. That single action had changed so much, what if he hadn't got in? Would he have found her anyway? What if...

 

"Oliver!" Fingers snapped in front of his face, purple nails getting into focus before he shook his head slightly, dragging himself out of his reverie, "are you with us?"

 

"What?"

 

"I called you like three times, where were you?"

 

"Sorry, I was..." he trailed off, looking in her eyes, such beautiful blue eyes.

 

She raised her eyebrows. "Well, I've got the address, so if you could hurry up, I only have an hour, and I don't want you to go without back up."

 

"Right. Big date tonight, meeting Ray's parents. You know what? You can go if you want to, I'll just do some short patrolling and leave that for tomorrow. Roy and Dig will be here."

 

"Oh, are you sure? I still don't like the idea of you going out there all alone..."

 

"It's okay Felicity, I could use some time to unwind."

 

"By jumping from rooftops and chasing criminals? You know, some people just watch a movie or something." She worried her bottom lip between het teeth.

 

He huffed a laughter. "I can handle myself, don't worry."

 

"Okay, but promise me you’ll call if you need anything. I think I'll use the extra hour to go home and change, I'm not sure about this dress."

 

"Promise. Now go have fun with your date." He fought against the lump in his throat to get the next words out. "And that dress looks perfect, I'm sure they will love you, how could they not?"

 

He saw the momentarily sadness that shadowed her eyes, before she forced a smile. "Thanks, be safe out there, okay?"

 

He nodded and she made a quick way out of the foundry, and he could swear he saw her scrub the back of a finger under her left eye. Yeah, things would've been so much easier if he had just stayed far from that boat.

 

This wasn’t the right headspace for him to go out in the hood, but he needed to release the tension somehow. He was looking for trouble and he knew it, he just didn't really care if something happened to him, not today.

 

So he didn't call the police when he saw nine guys ganging up on that woman, he didn't stop when he saw the guns, he arrowed three in the thighs before he jumped down in front of her to fight the other six off hand-to-hand, he'd dealt with worse. When the woman made it out of their sight, he had a fat lip and a bruised cheekbone, he was being sloppy, but had successfully knocked out another four. When he notched an arrow up and pointed it at one of the two left, telling the other to lower the gun, he felt it in his gut.

 

This was it, he was going to shoot, he didn't care about his partner, he wanted blood, his blood. Oliver didn't really listen when the gun went off, and didn't really allow his hand to open letting the arrow fly and lodge itself in the thug's stomach. He didn't feel the familiar pain when the bullet tore through his ribcage.

 

The sudden lack of air told him his right lung had been punctured, he raised his hand to the wound and looked at the glistening of liquid on his glove. He looked up again but the guy was gone, the other eight lying around him but he refused to die in some alley, surrounded by criminals, so he forced himself up the closest fire escape and climbed with the last of his strength, finally giving in when he reached the roof.

 

Oliver had been in enough close calls with death to know how they felt. That's how he knew this time it was the real deal. Maybe he would've had a chance if he hadn't exerted himself climbing to the rooftop, maybe if he had called 911 or Dig, he could've made it, but from the moment that gun went off, and even before, something had felt different. The pain was distant, almost like it was detached from his body, he felt like he was already slipping away from himself, and that felt good. Liberating.

 

He wanted to let go, felt something calling him, but he still couldn't. He needed to do something, if only he could remember what it was. He looked down at the blood staining his green leathers and down at the dark red pool under him. A tear ran down his face and he raised his hand to wipe it off. Felicity. He remembered now. He had to tell her. He had to say goodbye. It wasn't fair on her, but his life hadn't been fair, and now he was dying. He made an effort to pick up his phone.

 

It rang for way too long before she picked up with a whisper.

 

"Oliver, did something happen? Are you okay?"

 

He bit back a groan when he inhaled to respond. "I'm... I need to tell you something...."

 

She could hear his heavy breathing and felt a pit in her gut. She braced her free hand on the restaurant’s bathroom stool door, pressing the phone harder in her ear as if that brought her closer to him.

 

“Oliver, are you hurt? Where are you? I’ll come get you.” Her voice came out shaky, he could tell she knew something was very wrong.

 

“Felicity, please listen,” he drew a sharp breath as he pressed a hand on the wound to slow down the bleeding. “I’m calling to say goodbye,” he swallowed hearing her involuntary sob, it hurt.

 

“Don’t, please don’t cry, it’s okay, I just need you to know, you need to know…”

 

“I don’t want to hear this Oliver! Please tell me where you are and I’ll come, I’ll send help, you’ll be fine, just let me help you!”

 

“Felicity,” he tried to convey his urgency, tried to make her understand that this was his last chance and time was draining out with every drop of his blood. She went silent, there was only the occasional sniffing in the other side. “I love you. I always knew I’d love you until the day I died,” he chuckled bitterly and hissed at the stab of pain.

 

Felicity fell down to the floor, now clutching the phone with both hands, sobbing loudly. “Please Oliver…”

 

“No, you have to know, I wish we’d had more time, I wish I could have been… I wish things were different and I could have been good for you…”

 

“You a...”

 

“You’re my happy story, Felicity,” he smiled at the memory.

 

“No! There’s still time, just let me help you!”

 

“You are! You are helping me, by staying with me until I go, promise me,” his voice was now barely coming out, his breathing too shallow. “Promise me you’ll live the happy life I couldn’t give you.”

 

“Oliver, please! Please, honey, stay with me!”

 

That sounded wrong, she never called him that. He was probably delusional from the blood loss. Everything was fading away, Felicity’s voice just a faint whisper. His vision was blurry, he felt really tired, fought to keep his eyes open, but they were shutting down of their own accord. Or maybe everything was just going black.

 

It felt like he was falling into the darkness, he blinked his eyes, trying to see something, anything, heard Felicity calling his name one last time and then everything went silent. Suddenly there was a blinding light hurting his eye, and a voice registered in the back of his head, along with an annoying beeping sound. He tried to move but his body didn't respond, it was all black again and he couldn't open his eyes. Was this what hell felt like?

 

Someone was crying. Sounded familiar but he couldn't tell why. One of the voices was becoming more clear.

 

"He's responsive, I think he might wake up anytime now. It’s a miracle really."

 

That sounded like a doctor. Was he at a hospital? Did he not die? He couldn't help but feeling a little disappointed. He tried blinking again but his eyelids were too heavy. 

 

"Oliver, honey, I'm here, come back to us."

 

 _Mom_. His heart squeezed in his chest. She was dead. And so was him.

 

"Ollie," there was pressure in his hand. Thea. Was she dead too? He hadn't seen her in so long. She sounded like she had been crying.

 

Speaking proved impossible too, his tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of his mouth and there was a burning pain in the back of his throat.

 

"Don't try to talk, it will be worse," the technical voice said. _Had he made a sound?_ "Try to move your fingers if you're listening."

 

He tried to move the hand Thea was apparently holding, and heard a small squeal. He missed her so much.

 

Concentrating all of his efforts, he was able to make his eyelids flutter open slowly. It was blurry, but he could make out the weak light of the room and three human shaped shadows that were slowly coming to focus.

 

Thea wrapped her arms around his torso, lying her head on his chest. She was pressing on the spot he'd been shot, and he waited but there was no pain. Was this a dream?

 

"I'm paging Neuro and booking a spot for him in the CT scan."

 

"Ollie, I missed you so much!"

 

He wanted to say it back but couldn't. It was frustrating not being able to speak, he had too many questions.

 

Fingers threaded through his hair. He looked up from Thea and into his mother's eyes. She looked tired, but happy, younger maybe. How was she there? He'd seen her die.

 

She must have seen the confusion in his eyes. "You're at a hospital, son. You've been here for a while, there was an accident." That wasn’t exactly the question he wanted answered. He waited but she didn’t elaborate, just looking at him with wet eyes that and brushing her fingers through his hair.

 

Thea looked up and smiled at him. She looked younger too.

 

"Mr. Queen, nice to finally meet you," a woman in a lab coat walked in, "I'm doctor Ashford, your neurologist, ready for some tests?"

 

He just looked at her. She exchanged a glance with his mother and Moira nodded.

 

“Mr. Queen, do you remember who you are? Blink once for yes and twice for no.”

 

He blinked once. She smiled.

 

“Wonderful. Do you know who these people are?” Another blink. “Perfect. Mr. Queen.”

 

She seemed to ponder for a while before continuing. “You were in an accident that made you comatose. You had a severe head injury and had to undergo a complicated surgery when you were first admitted. The surgery went well and we were able to save your life, but even after the swelling was gone, you still wouldn’t wake up. Every exam came back normal, we just couldn’t understand why you stayed unconscious for such a long time. So now that you’re finally back with us, I’d like to run a few tests and see what has changed, is that okay with you?”

 

 _Unconscious for such a long time._ He forced his breathing to slow and blinked again.

 

”Great, and don’t worry, it’s common for people in your condition to have trouble speaking, it takes a little while for it to go back to normal, it’s better if you don’t force it.”

 

Two nurses came in and started rolling his bed out. Thea clutched his hand until they got to the restricted area and gave him a kiss. He put up a strong front so she wouldn’t see, but he was freaking out inside. What the hell was happening? What was real? Nothing felt like it.

 

After the exams were over he was taken back to his room, and the doctor cleared it for him to drink water and eat the thin hospital soup, which just showed him how weak his muscles were, but he still refused letting his mother feed him. Thea had gone home to get him clothes. His throat felt better with every spoonful, but still when he finally spoke it felt like his throat had been dragged through gravel.

 

“Mom.” His voice was hoarse and raspy.

 

She looked up, but stayed silent.

 

“What year is it?”

 

“Oliver, you’ve been through so much, don’t you want to leave this conversation for some other time?”

 

He precariously tried to adjust himself on the pillow, not managing to move all that much, and leveled her with a very serious gaze.

 

She sighed. “It’s 2012.”

 

What? That made no sense. Who the hell woke from a coma in over two years _before_ their last memory?

 

“What? When did I… How?”

 

“See? This is why I didn’t want to tell you, look how upset you are!”

 

“Tell me about the accident.” His tone left no room for argument.

 

 “You ran a red light and crashed into another car, the night before you and your father were taking the Gambit to China. How much do you remember?”

 

He fell silent, throwing his head back. He remembered a lot. More than seven years worth of memories that apparently didn’t exist. He never got on the boat. So what? Everything was what? A dream? Or was this right now that was the dream? He tried to wake up, but nothing happened.

 

“That… that was 2007, right?”

 

She put a hand over his. “Yes, honey, five years ago.”

 

He let out a shaky breath. “And I’ve been here for five years?”

 

She gave him a sad smile. “Five years, one month and six days.”

 

He suddenly remembered something important. “Was I alone? In the car crash, was I alone?”

 

Moira sighed. “Sara Lance was with you.”

 

He swallowed. “Where is she? Did she make it?”

 

“She’s fine, son, she was hurt pretty bad, and it was a long recovery, but she made it through.”

 

Relief flooded him.

 

“You should rest, Oliver, soon the doctor will be back with your results.”

 

“Mom, I’ve been resting for five years!”

 

“Very well, what do you want to know?”

 

“Everything. Where is dad?”

 

She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. “Your father is…”

 

“He died on the boat didn’t he?”

 

She snapped her eyes open, lips parted in surprise. “Who told you that?”

 

“Nobody did.” She clearly wanted an explanation, but he couldn’t provide one, so he stayed quiet.

 

“Your father postponed his trip to China because of your accident, but he still went when you were out of surgery and it became clear you would take longer than anticipated to wake up. There was a storm and the boat went down, after months the searches were called off and everyone was pronounced dead.”

 

He kept his eyes on the ceiling. “Where’s Tommy?”

 

“He used to come here almost everyday, but now he’s gone.”

 

“He died too.” It wasn’t a question.

 

“No, Tommy didn’t die! Nobody knows where he went. A little over a year ago, his father was exposed for a plan to level part of the city. It was really hard for him, people were attacking him on the streets, so he went away. Didn’t tell anyone about it, just vanished.”

 

Oliver couldn’t explain the happiness that flooded him, his eyes swelled with tears, goose bumps spread down his arms. “Tommy is alive?”

 

“Yes, why are you so surprised?”

 

He didn’t answer, trying to make sense in his mind of how much from what he remembered was true and how much wasn’t. He must have retained some of the information around him while he was in the coma, and his subconscious just ran away with it. It was frustrating, everything felt like a parallel universe.

 

“Were you in on Malcom’s plan? Were you the one who exposed him?”

 

“You’re scaring me, Oliver, how could you possibly know that?”

 

He shook his head slightly. “I don’t know.”

 

Thea came in then, a duffle bag hanging from her shoulder.

 

“Whoa, what’s with the heavy atmosphere in here? You came back to life, better cheer up a little!”

 

Oliver smiled at her.

 

“Can you go home yet?”

 

“Still waiting for the doctor.”

 

“Okay, has mom caught you up with everything? I’ve been making files with all the big events for when you woke up. Don’t worry, all the sports you like were also covered.”

 

He couldn’t help the swell in his heart. “I love you, Speedy.”

 

“That’s actually in the files, nobody calls me that anymore. More importantly, I don’t like being called that anymore.”

 

“Too bad, I’m sticking to it.”

 

She tried to look annoyed, but apparently there was nothing capable of wiping the huge grin from her face.

 

Moira got up from her seat. “Now that Thea’s here to keep you company, I’ll see if I can find the doctor.”

 

After she left, Thea propped herself on the edge of his bed, looking curiously at him. “What were you and mom talking about?”

 

He sipped his water. “Things that happened, Tommy, Dad…”

 

Her face fell. “It was hard, you know… Losing dad, if you had been on that boat too, I don’t know what I would’ve done, I know you weren’t really present but there was still hope, you know? Even though you were in here and couldn’t listen, I could still come talk to you and hold your hand… It helped a lot.”

 

He reached for her hand, wondering how much he _had_ listened, and they stayed there, smiling fondly at each other until their mother came back with Dr. Ashford.

 

“Oliver, everything looks great, how would you like to spend your nights in your own bed from now on?”

 

His smile grew wider, still looking at Thea. “I would like that very much.”

 

“I’m signing your discharging papers, but I’d still like to follow you closely, so I’d like you come in once every other week, I’m also recommending lots of physical therapy, it’s the best way to recover your muscle tone, obviously we’ve been doing it the whole time, but now that you’re active it’ll be more effective.”

 

Oliver agreed, signing all the papers that were handed to him and stood up from the bed for the first time. It was hard, staying upright. His knees felt like giving in.

 

“We can ask for a wheelchair.”

 

He turned a glare at his mother’s direction. “I’m walking. If you excuse me I have to change.”

 

“Ollie, there’s no shame in needing help. We can call one of the male nurses if you prefer.”

 

“I don’t need it. Just give me a minute.” He waited until they reluctantly left the room.

 

“Come on legs,” he muttered under his breath, clinging to the bed for support. He turned the TV on, so people outside wouldn’t hear his grunts as he tried to walk to the chair that had the duffle bag with his clothes. His face was all over the news, ‘Heir of Queen Consolidated wakes from five year coma’, he snorted, not much had changed.

 

He rehearsed a few steps without letting go of the bed, and finally felt confident to take the three feet to the chair, pleased when his legs held all the way, even if they trembled a little. He took the bag and threw it on the bed, making his way back and sitting to open it. He smiled when he recognized the shirt as one Thea had bought him for one of his birthdays. His body seemed foreign to him, too much thinner than he was used to, all the familiar scars gone, he glanced at the mirror on the wall to his left, his hair was short, his face shaved, it was like he was only a shadow of himself.

 

Sighing, he firmed his feet on the ground again to pull the jeans the rest of the way up and button his shirt. There were a lot of things he needed to do and understand, but one thought kept coming back to his mind. As anxious as he was, he still wanted to work on some things before he made a trip to his company’s IT department.

 

If Felicity Smoak hadn’t been a product of his imagination, he sure as hell would be able to stand up straight when he met her.


	2. Oliver Meets World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has a whole new reality to adapt to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the second part. Hope you guys enjoy.

Another drop of sweat ran down his nose and hit the floor. The air burned as it came in and out of his lungs in loud pants, and he wasn’t even in the twentieth push up. This was child’s play, he used to last much longer, with only one hand, but that was just in his mind. Cursing under his breath, he gave in and turned to lie with his back on the floor when he heard footsteps approaching.

 

"Ollie, you're gonna end up hurting yourself. Aren’t you supposed to wait for the physical therapist?" Thea crouched beside him, wearing her school uniform, handing him a bottle of ice cold water. "It feels like you’re even sleeping down here. Slow down, you've only been home five days!"

 

"And look how far I've already come, I can walk without almost falling every four steps."

 

His family had hired Dr. Jason Kim, one of the best in the country. Dr. Kim had said that with the exercise, proper sleep, a balanced diet and dedication it would only take a few months until he was back to normal (he just didn’t know Oliver’s definition of normal). And so, for the last five days, he'd been in a frantic loop of exercise and physical therapy – It had started way slower than it was now, but even though everyone was telling him to ease into it, he kept it up, he was used to a much more demanding rhythm after all. The fact that said rhythm was only part of his imagination did nothing to stop him from pushing his limits, oddly enough, it encouraged him further more, because he felt like he'd done it before.

 

"Why are you even doing this to yourself?"

 

"Do you really have to ask? Speedy, I spent five years with no control over my own body, and I still don’t feel like I have it."

 

"No, I understand that, I get that you want to get control back and all, but you don't need to work yourself to exhaustion everyday just after waking up from a coma. Nobody is asking you to stop, just to go easier on yourself."

 

He sighed, tired of having this conversation yet again, and then it slipped. "I'm used to it, Thea."

 

She frowned in confusion. He closed his eyes. _Shit._

 

"What does that even mean?"

 

He hadn't told anyone about his - what? Dreams? Nightmares? Hallucinations? - He could tell they were curious about what went on in his head while he was under, but they were giving him space, and he was taking it, because in truth, he hadn't made sense of anything yet. Only that it seemed that some part of him listened and kept information about the real world, somehow incorporating it into his coma fantasy, but it was really hard to find the line between the two things.

 

He sat up. "I... I don't know how to explain, the time I was... you know, I wasn’t just out of it, I dreamed of things, things that felt very real. That still feel more real than this."

 

"You dreamed about working out really hard?" She teased, smiling softly, she was giving him a chance to just dismiss it, but he could see how eager she was for him to elaborate. He chuckled.

 

"That too… I can't explain it, I don't even understand it myself, but I know things, things I wasn't supposed to know because they happened while I was... asleep, but it's like I was living in this alternative reality and those things happened there too."

 

"Like dad?" He looked at her in surprise. "Mom told me you already knew when you woke up, and in good time too, cause I was starting to judge you really hard for not grieving."

 

An amused smile spread on his face. "Yeah, like dad, he had died in my head too, I think I absorbed all that information and made it part of this dream I was living on. But a lot of it doesn't make any sense."

 

"You know, I'm here if you ever want to talk about it."

 

He bit his lip. Maybe he should give it a try. "My last memory, from before I woke up, it's from late 2014."

 

Her jaw dropped. "You came from the future?"

 

"Imagine my surprise when mom said it was still 2012."

 

"Oh my God! No wonder you looked like you were freaking out!"

 

"What? I did not! I'm unreadable."

 

"Yeah, maybe in your dreams."

 

He had to get used to the fact that all his skills didn't exactly transfer from dream to reality. It was frustrating. On the bright side, neither did some of his responsibilities. But he still had his pride. "Did I let it show that I already knew Mr. Diggle?"

 

That got the expected reaction. He was pleased that he was still able to hide at least some things, not that anybody would have jumped to that specific conclusion. John Diggle had been hired to keep guard on his hospital door from precaution when his mother started collaborating with the police to take down Merlyn, the moment he stepped out of the hospital and saw the bodyguard waiting by the car he almost collapsed to the floor. Granted, his weak knees probably had something to do with it. If anyone noticed the way his eyes lingered one moment too long on Dig’s face, they didn’t say anything, just introduced them both and proceeded to get in the car.

 

After the initial shock upon seeing the man wore off, Oliver couldn’t stop the swell of hope from growing inside his chest, because if Dig was real, then someone else could be too, right?

 

 "What? Your bodyguard? How?" Thea almost yelled.

 

"Not so much of an open book now, huh?” He shrugged, “I have no idea how any of it is possible, but he was there, looked the same too, which is insane. And we were friends there."

 

She seemed dumbstruck. Torn between wanting to know more and being overwhelmed with information. "So you were in future land, where you were bff's with Mr. Diggle and a fitness freak?"

 

It felt good, being able to tell Thea his secrets without having to fear some faceless danger that would hunt her down because of it. He grinned. "Sounds about right, and I was really buff too."

 

She laughed. "Then this is you trying to get back in your dream body? Pun totally intended - I’m gonna have so much fun with this -  I didn't know you were so vain."

 

"You can laugh, but with my ‘dream body’," he said with air quotes, "as you put it, I was able to take down Diggle with relative ease."

 

"And you didn't even suspect you were just dreaming? I mean how buff are we talking here?" 

 

He laughed again, nodding his head repeatedly. “Pretty buff.”

 

"Okay, just one more time to make sure I follow, you, buff fitness freak, best friends with Mr. Diggle, and you two bonded over working out all day and fighting each other to see who'd win, and you were the one who usually won?"

 

Oliver tilted his head to the side at the memories of training in the foundry. Thinking about a certain babbling blonde who was there too, and how hard it was to stop himself from bursting through the IT department door and just taking her in his arms.

 

"What is that smile? Oooh," her eyes went wide.

 

"What?"

 

"Now I see."

 

“I have no idea what you're talking about."

 

"You have dreamy face. Okay, that one was not intended. Anyway, there was a girl there too, right?"

 

He was starting to get really annoyed at the fact that apparently his face now gave everything away. He seriously had to work on that.

 

"I knew it."

 

"No, you didn't. You don't know anything."

 

"Right, you're unreadable." She rolled her eyes. "So you're in fact _not_ working out like a maniac less than a week after waking from a five year coma because there was some especial girl in dream land from the future used to seeing you all ripped and you want to get “back” in shape in order not to disappoint? Must be just me then."

 

He stuck his bottom lip out, because that was ridiculous, but also, if he was being honest, not entirely untrue. He did like to remember how appreciative Felicity had been of his body, but the intense workout also helped him fall asleep. As much as he would never admit it, a small part of him feared being trapped there again.

 

"Stop pouting Oliver, I'm sure I'm only able to figure all that out because I know you so well. Tell me, who is she? Do I know her? It's not Laurel is it? Cause that's not gonna work."

 

He slumped his shoulders. Laurel. He hadn't even given her that much thought. That had to be fixed. "No, I don't know, I don't even know if she exists, you know, here."

 

"And you didn't even try to find out yet? I mean she must be out there, Mr. Diggle exists, right? Aren’t you curious?"

 

He was more than that. He missed her everyday. But a part of him was afraid that she might not be there. "You don’t get it. What if she isn’t real?” It hurt to even acknowledge the possibility. “And if she is I can’t meet her, not yet, I’m not who I was there, here I’m still douchebag party boy Oliver Queen who just took a really long nap. Nobody’s gonna believe I went to sleep and woke up a new man. I’m not ready to meet her. I still have a lot to work on.”

Like a good excuse, for instance. He was debating on actually spilling a latte on a laptop and taking it to her or going with an original plan. How do you plan meeting someone like that? When you’re helplessly in love with someone who hasn’t even met you? What if she didn’t like him?

 

"You want to be ready…” Thea put both her hands over her heart. "I’m so proud! What happened to you in that coma? How did such a player become such a sap?"

 

It hurt that even his little sister saw him like that."That's not funny, the way I was… I'll never forgive myself for what I did to Laurel and Sara."

 

"You’re right, I'm sorry. But come on, Ollie, I think spending five years in a limbo you couldn’t get up from is enough payment, don’t you? They've visited you, you know, Sara came first, and it took a while, but eventually Laurel came too, she forgave you, both of you. They’ve moved on."

 

"That’s nice to hear. But I still should've gone and apologized the minute I woke up, how could I not have thought about that?" He raised a hand to rub his eyes, "there's so much in my mind right now."

 

"It's okay, nobody expects you to be superman, even if some of the things you told me seem like fresh out of a sci-fi movie." She wrapped him in a hug.

 

"You know I'm sweaty, right?"

 

"Yes, and you owe me five years worth of sweaty hugs, so I'll hold my girlish screams until the next one."

 

He hugged her back, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders, more grateful than ever that he had her as a sister.

 

"Are you gonna tell me about dream girl?"

 

"Maybe some other time, today I have something important I need to do."

 

"You're going over to Laurel's, aren't you?"

 

He nodded, letting go of her and slinging an arm over her shoulder to walk them to the door.

 

"Want me to come with?"

 

"No, I need to do this alone, and you should already be in school, why aren’t you at school?"

 

“Oh, who cares about school?” He glared at her. “I’m just kidding, mom let me skip the first period to make you company, okay, geez, I’m going now.”

 

“Thea? Let’s keep all this between us for now, okay?”

 

She reached to kiss his cheek. “It’ll be our secret.” She winked at him before sauntering away.

 

 

***

 

 

Oliver traced his fingers once again over the curved line on his scalp, while rinsing off the shampoo. His only scar now was hidden beneath his hair. All the marks from the years of torture gone, now the only thing that marred his skin was brain surgery. Don't get him wrong, he would've traded torture in for brain surgery any day, but he was still struggling to adapt to this new reality, this different body with different scars.

 

At least his stubble had grown back, he thought as he stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist and looking at the mirror, pleased that his reflection was starting to seem more familiar. Everything was sore, but he already felt like his muscles were more toned. It didn’t look like it would take too long before he got at least to his pre-coma shape. Then again, maybe it was just wishful thinking.

 

He went over and over a speech in his mind as he got dressed. One would have thought that having done this once already would be enough preparation, especially considering that it couldn't go worse than the first time, but still, he was nervous.

 

The first time Tommy had been there for him. He wondered if his friend had gotten the news that he was awake, if he would come back now that he was here.

 

Shaking his head for focus, he slowly climbed down the stairs on his way out to the garage, never letting go of the railings. He’d learned the importance of railings when he thought he could try taking two steps down at a time the day before.

 

"Look who’s finally out of the gym. I was looking for you,” Moira’s voice came from behind him just as he reached the last step. He turned on his heel.

 

"Mom, I thought you were at the company."

 

"Walter is taking care of everything, I came back to run a few errands and check on you. Where are you off to?"

 

"I'm going to see Laurel, I want to apologize."

 

She raised her eyebrows. "And you were thinking of driving yourself?"

 

He eyed the keys hanging from his hand. "Well..."

 

"The doctor didn't clear you for driving, if you don't want me to take you, at least take one of the drivers."

 

"Mom, I'm fine."

 

"Oliver, I don't care how old you are, you are not driving until Dr. Ashford says it's okay, the last time you were behind the wheel it took five years for you to so much as open your eyes. You’re not driving. Are we clear?"

 

His eyes dropped. The accident still felt surreal to him, none of that had even crossed his mind. "Yes, I'm sorry."

 

Moira waved Diggle over from where he was standing beside the front door. "Mr. Diggle, would you mind driving Oliver?"

 

Oliver handed him the keys. 

 

"Not at all. Where to, Mr. Queen?"

 

It was funny, hearing Dig call him that. "Please, just call me Oliver, Mr. Diggle."

 

"Then you just call me Diggle, or John."

 

"Alright, then, Diggle, to the DA's office."

 

 

***

 

 

"Oliver?" The familiar voice made him snap his head up from the bench where he’d been waiting in front of her office.

 

Laurel looked the same, dressed in a dark pant suit, with a confident posture and a polite smile on her face.

 

"Laurel."

 

"I saw it in the news, that you had woken up, I was hoping you’d come see me." Her words sounded genuine.

 

He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

 

"Because it would be nice to finally have a conversation with you that's not a monologue, for once."

 

"But..." He was confused. Out of all the scenarios he had been playing in his head, this was not like any one of the possibilities he'd thought.

 

“What? Were you expecting me to have a lynch mob ready for you?”

 

“I…”

 

“Are five years not long enough for me to get over the great Oliver Queen?”

 

That was a bit more like what he’d expected. “That’s not…”

 

“I know. I’m sorry. Should you be out on the street by yourself?”

 

“My bodyguard is waiting in the car.” He pointed his thumb back in the car’s general direction.

 

“Ah, Tommy had a lot of those…” a sudden sorrow flashed through her features, but she covered it quickly.

 

“Laurel, can we talk? I know I don’t deserve your time, but maybe we could get coffee or something?”

 

She nodded. “I was about to get lunch. There’s a great place just around the corner.”

 

It was a charming little place, busy with lawyers making calls and revising files. Laurel seemed to know all the waiters by name. Diggle sat in one of the booths not too far while they took one by the window.

 

“You’re not gonna eat anything?” She turned to him, after asking for her usual. He was studying the menu.

 

“I’ll have the chicken.” Laurel raised her eyebrows. “What?”

 

“Nothing, you’d think for someone who’s been eating his meals from a tube for the past five years you’d be a little bolder with your lunch order, I’d expect at least some fries there.”

 

He chuckled. “I’m easing into it…  You look well.”

 

“I am well.”

 

“I’m happy to hear that… Laurel, the reason I came is because I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, for everything I put you through, I would take it all back, if I could, and I realize it must sound like empty words, but believe me, I despise the things I did to you.”

 

“Look, Oliver, I’m not gonna sit here and say that I didn’t hate you for a really long time. That I didn’t feel like you got what you deserved while you were in that hospital bed. That a small part of me didn’t wish you had died in that accident… I know it’s an awful thing to say, but it was how I felt. I hated you, and Sara, I felt betrayed and angry at everyone, and with good reason. But what kind of person would I be if I lashed out at someone that was critical in the ICU? She had a broken spine, ribs, leg, ruptured spleen, severe concussion, you were hanging by a thread. All I had was a broken heart. That was nobody’s priority, so I was kind of left alone to pick up the pieces… and that took time.”

 

A lump formed in his throat trying to picture it. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”

 

“It was really hard, it was hell, for an incredibly long time, I moved out of home because I couldn’t look at Sara, we argued all the time and she needed my parents because she wasn’t even walking yet. It was a big mess… but what I’m trying to say is, eventually, I realized that by holding on to all that rage I was only harming myself, keeping myself down, and I had two options: either be bitter for the rest of my life or take what I learned from it and leave the pain behind. So I decided to forgive you both, start living my life, and that’s what I did.”

 

“I’m sorry I brought so much grief to your family.”

 

“It’s over, Oliver, Sara is alive and well, so are you, and so am I. As hard as it all was, it taught me a lot, I became my own person and I’m done mulling over how big the price was. That’s how it was, it’s part of my story and I take it, no good can come from trying to change the past.”

 

Oliver looked up at her, not knowing what to say.

 

“If it makes you feel better to hear the words again, as I said to you a couple years ago in that hospital room, I forgive you, Oliver.”

 

It was as if the words were magical. The guilt was still there, would always be, he figured, but it was now much easier to bear. “Thank you, that really means a lot.”

 

“It’s more for my own sake than yours.”

 

Their meal arrived and they made mostly small talk through it. He learned he’d have to wait to talk to Sara because she was travelling around the world, that her parents were still together, and from the way she tiptoed around the subject of Tommy, he felt that their relationship had been more than just a dream. It was a bit strained, even though she was being friendly he could tell she meant all that she’d said, it was clear that it didn’t mean she liked him, it didn’t make them friends again just like that. He would have to earn it if he wanted to keep her in his life.

 

Her phone buzzed. “I’m sorry, Oliver, but I really need to go back.”

 

“Okay, you can go, I got this.”

 

She mouthed a ‘thank you’ as she answered her phone and gathered her things, waving goodbye as she turned to leave. Oliver found himself just sitting there, staring at the empty air, trying to make himself wake up. Everything was feeling too good to be true.

 

“Sir,” Diggle’s voice made him jump a little. So now he was easily startled, not everything was all that good.

 

“I already told you, Diggle, just call me Oliver.”

 

Dig gave him a sharp nod. “Are you ready to go, Oliver?”

 

“Yeah,” he took out his wallet, throwing some bills on the table before standing up. His phone rang in his pocket. “Hello.”

 

“Hi, dear, are you still busy?” Moira said on the other end.

 

“No, I was just about to go home.”

 

“Oh, are you still in the city?”

 

“Yes, why do you ask?”

 

“Walter called. There are some important papers you need to sign at the company.”

 

 _No. No, no, no, he couldn’t risk going to QC yet_. “Can’t we just send a messenger to the house, I’m a bit indisposed.” _Good, use the same excuse you did two days ago to get out of dinner with the Bowens._

 

“I’m sorry, honey, but it’s important, since you were incapacitated when your father died, I was responsible for your shares, but now you have right to a chair on the board and some papers to sign in order to regularize all that as soon as possible, it won’t even take you of your way, just make a quick stop, can you do it?”

 

 “I don’t want a chair on the board.”

 

“Son, attendance is not mandatory, just sign the papers, will you? We can figure all of that out later. Can you do that for me? It’ll only take a minute.”

 

There were no arguments left. “Okay, I’m on my way,” he hung up the phone and turned to Dig, “We need to make a stop at Queen Consolidated.”

 

The ride was too short for him to come with anything solid. So he decided the course of action would be get in and out as fast as possible and try to avoid her. Shouldn’t be hard, there were thousands of employees in the building, what were even the odds of running into her? He would be okay. He’d have time to make a proper plan before he met her. He would be ready, and charming. Everything would be fine.

 

And everything was.

 

He’d gone up to Walter’s office, signed the papers, both elevator rides were uneventful. If Dig had noticed that he went stiff and his gaze followed intently every time he saw anyone with long blond hair in the distance, he didn’t mention it. Stepping out of the elevator, Oliver increased his pace and turned a satisfied smile to his bodyguard, already sucking in a deep breath for his big sigh of relief, and when he turned his face back there was no time. She was two feet away, walking towards him, distractedly looking down at the tablet in her hand, and he saw when her step faltered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Would you click on the box below and let me know?
> 
> Cake is on it's way.


	3. Not According to Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity meet fr the first time. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I had a test last week and a lot of second thoughts about this chapter so...  
> Anyway, hope you guys like it :)

 

She was obviously going to crash into him. Instinctively, he would reach out and steady her, taking a swift step to the side and turn them to break her forward momentum, it would’ve been fast, and impressive, and all the things he no longer was, so she ended up bumping full on into him. Her tablet slipped from her hands when she collided with his chest, his arms promptly wrapping around her in attempt to stabilize them as he took half a stumbling step backwards. Luckily, his legs held up and he didn’t fall back.

 

He should have known better. There was no preparing for Felicity Smoak. She didn’t play along with his program, just swept in when he least expected and ran away with all of his plans leaving him behind trying to play catch up.

 

The light stroke of his fingers over her back was involuntary. “Are you okay?” He asked softly above her head.

 

“Yeah, I’m so sorry.” The sound of her voice, even if muffled by his chest before she leaned back, made everything fade away. The chatter around the busy lobby, the chiming of elevators, everything went completely quiet. He worried if it maybe was too quiet and she could hear how loud his heart was thumping in his chest, but he still couldn’t contain a smile.

 

It took him a bit longer than socially acceptable to realize he was still holding her, smiling like an idiot and not saying anything. In his defense, though, his body was tingling from the warmth of hers, and he felt like he was floating in a daze of what he could only describe as pure, unadulterated grace as he looked into her eyes.

 

He promptly dropped his arms, straightening the hem of his sweater, trying prevent his hands from feeling the loss, not even aware of how intensely he was staring into her eyes. “No, it was my fault.”

 

She shyly averted her eyes from his, looking down at the ground and frowning. "Oh, no."

 

He followed her gaze down and saw her tablet, the screen cracked. He bent down to get it, mentally kicking himself when he bumped his head in hers as she did the same. In the end he was the one who reached for it first. He eyed the thing before handing it to her. She swiped her fingers on the screen to check how bad the damage was.

 

"I'm sorry, I’ll get you a new one."

 

"No, it was really my fault, plus, I've already pre-ordered the new model and it'll be out in a couple weeks. This is not unusable, it’ll do until then."

 

He didn't respond, just found himself waiting for her to keep talking.

 

"…Okay, then, I'm sorry I was distracted and bumped into you…" she said uncomfortably, clearly trying to get out of there.

 

He didn't want her to go. "I'm Oliver Queen," he introduced himself, a little too loud. He wanted to roll his eyes at himself.

 

“Everybody knows who you are, Mr. Queen.”

 

"It’s just Oliver, Mr. Queen was my father."

 

"Yeah, but he died, I mean, he drowned, but you already know that. Oh, my God, you did know that, right? I didn’t just break the news that your father died while you were in a coma, did I? And now I’m talking about your coma, and you don’t even know me, 3, 2...” She covered her face with one hand.

 

He chuckled. _He loved her so much_.

 

"Okay, Mr. Q... Oliver, I'm sorry about... everything, I’d better get going."

 

"Wait!"

 

She turned back to him, raising her eyebrows, her face still very red.

 

"I… I didn't catch your name."

 

She pointed at the ID tag hanging from her shirt. "It's Felicity, Felicity Smoak."

 

"It was nice to meet you, Miss Smoak," he flashed her a smile he hoped was charming.

 

She looked at him half amused and half confused, nodding once. "Nice to meet you, too.”

 

And then she was gone, leaving him with his arm still raised from waving her goodbye. _Perfect._

 

He felt a little bit like dying. Could this have gone any worse? He'd been a lot of things in all two versions of his life, but this had been the first time he'd just been flat out awkward. No, Oliver Queen did not do awkward. He did blatant, he did smooth, he did charming, he even occasionally did funny, but never awkward.

 

As the sounds and people around the lobby came slowly back into focus, he sighed heavily in defeat, still staring at the closed elevator door she had disappeared in, and turned to find Dig with one amusedly raised eyebrow. Right, there had been an audience.

 

"What?"

 

He raised his hands, clearly fighting a smile. "Nothing."

 

"That didn't go very well, did it?"

 

"If answer honestly, can I still keep my job?"

 

"That bad, huh?"

 

Dig just tilted his head toward the door and started walking.

 

Oliver followed. "Do you think it's salvageable?"

 

"Judging by the way you were looking at her, I think we're gonna find out."

 

“Do you think she noticed that?”

 

Dig just smiled and kept walking.

 

 

***

 

 

He got home right on time for his physical therapy session, which was good because he could really use the distraction after what had just happened.

 

 When he entered the gym, Dr. Kim was already waiting and pointed at the mat where he should lay down for his stretching. 

 

“I was talking to your mother earlier, she tells me you’ve been working yourself too hard,” he said as he worked on Oliver’s legs.

 

“She worries too much, I’m fine,” Oliver replied half grunting as his knee was raised up to his chin.

 

“Does that hurt?”

 

“No, I’m just a little sore, that’s all.”

 

The only reply was an incredibly annoying hum.

 

Jason Kim was a very quiet man. They went through the day’s routine with very few words, apart from the eventual correcting of Oliver’s posture for some exercise, which was particularly aggravating because Oliver felt like he was doing it perfectly, hell, he felt like he could be teaching that stuff. He was slowly learning the difference between brain memory and muscle memory, and that even though he had plenty of the former, he had none of the latter.

 

Before they finished, Dr. Kim had him do a new exercise that consisted in balancing on a wobble board. Every time he lost footing – about every two seconds – he felt useless.

 

 “Oliver, you’re doing great, it’s like that for everybody, you’re not supposed to be able to balance yourself easily, or that would be no point to it.”

 

Of course he didn’t understand why Oliver would think that he should be better at this than everybody. So Oliver just kept scowling and concentrating all of his efforts in keeping stable, only to stumble again.

 

“Okay, that’s enough, you’re done.” He said offering his hand to help Oliver step down from the insulting device. “I think we’re good for the day, you’re making amazing progress.”

 

“Dr. Kim,” Oliver bit his lower lip, squinting as he pondered, “what do you think about a salmon ladder?”

 

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s… ambitious.”

 

“Well I… saw it… on TV and I wanted to try it.”

 

“I’d say it’s a bit early for that, but I’m glad you want to try new things, the excitement is a great incentive. And I know you are doing a lot without my supervision, which I get, but I also urge you to stick to the basics, so you don’t hurt yourself and set us back. If you must do it, I recommend swimming, it’s an excellent overall exercise, very safe, and you have a pool right in your backyard.”

 

Oliver sighed. “I hate swimming.”

 

He chuckled. “I’ll leave it up to you. Look, I can see that you’re really disciplined and motivated, just have a little patience, give me a couple more weeks and then we can start a more dynamic training. In the meanwhile, take it easy, okay?”

 

Oliver nodded, shaking hands with him before watching him leave. Once alone, he sat back on the bench press. He stopped for one second and the disastrous first meeting instantly came back to mind. Screw it, he could use some punishment.

 

 Thea found him at the pool, almost an hour later. “Don’t you ever stop?”

 

He braced his hands on the edge of the pool, lifting himself off and sitting with his feet in the water, panting. “You know me, fitness freak.”

 

She took off her shoes and sat next to him.

 

“This is literally the last place I thought I’d find you. Is swimming a thing for you now?”

 

“Nope, still hate it.”

 

“Then why do it?”

 

“Today I deserve it.”

 

“Oh no, did things go bad with Laurel? I could’ve sworn it was going to be okay.”

 

“No, things with Laurel are fine, surprisingly enough.”

 

“Then why are you punishing yourself with _swimming_?” She crinkled her nose.

 

He tried to get up but everything hurt, so he laid his back on the ground to give himself a moment. “I’m exhausted, will you hand me my towel?”

 

Thea walked over to one of the stretchers and picked up the towel, throwing it in his face.

 

He muffled a thank you behind the fabric before taking it and rubbing his hair dry.

 

She reached out her hand to help him up.

 

“Alright, now tell me what happened.”

 

“Later, I need to at least take a hot shower first.”

 

“Fine, I’ll get something to eat and meet you in your room, want me to bring a snack?”

 

“Yeah, that would be really great. Don’t forget to tell Raisa to check the list of food I put on the fridge, okay?”

 

"Are you gonna live on fruit and that disgusting cereal of yours?"

 

"No, I'm also having plenty of vegetables, and meat, and healthy carbs."

 

"Should I ask for some kale juice too?" She joked.

 

"Actually, that sounds good, see you upstairs?" He smiled at her astonishment and climbed the stairs to his room.

 

When Thea knocked on the door, he'd just sunk down in his bed, tired and relaxed by the shower, almost drifting asleep.

 

"Come in."

 

She turned the knob with her elbow, pushing the door open with her back as she balanced a large tray in her hands. "Got your food. You know, the way Raisa makes it, it kinda looks good."

 

"Wanna share?"

 

"No, I still know what’s in it." She lowered the tray on the bed and sat cross legged across from him.

 

He propped himself to a sitting position against the headboard, reaching first for the bowl of yogurt and chopped fruit, sprinkled with granola and raisins.

 

“Are those s’mores?” He eyed her side of the tray, amused at her clear attempt to break him from his diet.

 

She looked up at him with mock repentance. “Oh, right, I’m so sorry, I had completely forgotten they were your favorites, do you want me to take them back? You can have some, you know, it must be hard for you to see me eat something so delicious when you have to eat that.”

 

“This _is_ delicious,” he said, stuffing his mouth to prove the point, “and where’s my kale juice?”

 

“Yeah, that’s gross, I asked for orange instead. But I know what you’re doing, stop stalling and give me the goods, what happened today?”

 

He plopped the spoon down at the bowl, frowning at it. “I accidentally met her.”

 

“Who?” She raised her eyebrows, eyes slowly widening, “oh, dream girl? No way! Accidentally? How? Was it bad? Is that why you look like that? I need the details, Oliver.”

 

He gave her a half hearted chuckle. “It was horrible, I don’t want to think about it.”

 

“Come on, how much damage can a person do in one meeting? I’m sure it was fine, tell me.”

 

He looked bitterly at her, shaking his head at the still too vivid memory. Putting his bowl back down on the tray, he took one of the pillows, fiddling with the corner of it as he recounted everything that happened.

 

“Okay, I see why you would think that went bad.”

 

“And here I thought you would help.”

 

“I didn’t say I thought it went bad, I said I get your point.”

 

“So you don’t think it went bad?”

 

“Alright, let me get some facts straight before we start over analyzing your… encounter. First of all, I didn’t miss that you still haven’t told me her name and that annoys me. Second, I think I already know the answer for this, but just so we’re clear, you’re in love with this woman, right? Like really, really in love?”

 

“Yes, I am. And her name is Felicity.” He realized this was the first time he’d said her name out loud since he woke up, so probably, the first time ever.

 

Thea smiled. “It’s different. I like it.”

 

“It means happiness.” He smiled.

 

“You’re such a giant cheeseball.”

 

“Stop laughing at me, I ruined everything.”

 

She grunted. “Oh, my God, where did you learn to be so negative? You didn’t ruin anything, it was a little awkward, I’ll give you that, but nothing is lost.” She waited for him to look up. “I don’t know her, but if it was me, I’d think it was kind of cute that you were so flustered. That’s what people that are in love do, you know? They get weird and stutter and all that.”

 

“Thea, I had just met her, _for the first time_. I can’t act like I’m in love with her, you can’t be in love with someone you never saw before, that’s just creepy, which brings me back to I ruined everything.”

 

“Why are you so hard on yourself? You literally bumped into the woman you believe is the love of your life and managed to keep most of your cool, that’s a win.”

 

“Did you hear what I just told you? I didn’t keep any of my cool. In the best case scenario she’s probably thinking she just got hit on by a very out of practice playboy Oliver Queen, who does the same with every girl he bumps into.”

 

“Then go in there and prove her wrong. You can’t erase your past, but she’ll never have any idea of who you are now if you don’t try to show her.”

 

“But who _am_ I? I don’t know. Everything that happened to me and made me grow didn’t really happen. Back there I was somebody she could believe in, and here I am… I don’t know what I am.”

 

“Okay, listen to me. It’s up to you to decide when you’re ready to tell me exactly who you were, you know, in there, but if the problem is figuring out who you are now, I can tell you.” She pointed her finger at him. “You are Oliver Queen, a guy who’s been through a hell of a difficult time in that hospital, managed to make his way to his family when most of the doctors had been telling us to not have hope, and a guy who is now working as hard as I ever saw anyone work to make a fast recovery. A guy who somehow managed to stay sane, after living in a dream or whatever that was for years and waking up in a totally different place.  A guy who regrets his mistakes, and who is fighting to prove himself.”

 

She took his hand when she paused, his eyes welling up, but refusing to let the tears drop.

 

“ And you’re also still you, my loving, stubborn, amazing big brother, who ditched his friends to help me build a fort in the living room when I was four, and who didn’t mind getting in trouble for sneaking me out to get ice cream that time after mom grounded me just because you couldn’t stand to see me cry.  You are a wonderful person, Oliver, she would be a fool not to see that. All you have to do is show her.”

 

“You really believe that?”

 

She shuffled on the bed to hug him, “I really believe in you.”

 

Grinning, he returned the hug. “I love you.”

 

“I know,” she pulled back, smiling, “I love you too. Now that we cleared that up, please let’s raise that head of yours and get you that girl.”

 

“How do you propose we do that?”

 

“I think I might have an idea.”

 

*** 

 

Thea’s plan was a good one. Oliver had his doubts about it when she told him, but she actually managed to pull through - one of her classmates’ father happened to be the CFO of the corporation that produced the yet to be launched tablet Felicity had talked about, and Thea sweet talked him into getting her one before the release date.  It was both a perfect gift and a good excuse. Better than any of the ones he’d previously used with Felicity. It was a great plan, so why was he so nervous? Dig smiling knowingly through the rearview mirror wasn’t helping either.

 

When the car parked in front of QC, Oliver reached for the knob, turning to Dig as he started to unfasten his seat belt. “I’ll be right back.”

 

Dig looked back at him. “I’ll wait in the lobby.”

 

Oliver gave him a grateful smile and left the car, clenching the tablet with one hand and concentrating every effort in not blowing it this time. Reaching the door to her office, he took one last deep breath, gave it a quick knock and pushed it open.

 

His heart was already racing, but it sank in his chest when he found the office was empty of Felicity.  All the versions of this he’d rehearsed in his head involved her actually being in the room. He was deciding whether or not to wait for her when he heard a small yelp behind him.

 

He turned to see her putting a hand over her heart. _Okay, Oliver, breathe, please don't ruin this._

 

She had dropped a small pink box to the ground and he picked it up. “I’m sorry, I came to see you, I didn’t know if I should wait here and then… Sorry I keep making you drop your stuff.” He handed the box to her.

 

“No, it’s okay, I’m just glad today I decided to go to the bakery instead of the coffee shop because with a break so short I only have time to go to one, not that I’m complaining or anything, the breaks are fine, it’s just that both places are off hand and, what I mean is, I’m glad this wasn’t coffee or it would have spilled all over and this,” she opened the box, revealing a cupcake with slightly crushed chocolate frosting, half of it stuck to the lid, “well, it doesn’t look so pretty anymore, but it will still taste just as good,” she smiled at the cake and then looked up at him, “you said you came here to see me?”

 

“Yeah, I felt bad about the other day, and wanted to make it up to you,” he lifted the hand with the tablet, “but apparently I just keep creating more things to make up for.”

 

It was clear she had stopped listening to him when he showed the tablet. Her eyes followed it intently, brows slightly creased.

 

“Is that… How did you get your hands on that?” She put the box on the table and he gave the tablet for her to see.

 

“My sister got it for me.”

 

“Can I?” She asked with a finger over the home button, dying to check the new set ups and features.

 

“Sure, it’s yours, I owed you one.”

 

“Oh, no, you really didn’t, I can’t take this. Especially since your sister gave it to you.”

 

“She wouldn’t mind.”

 

“Still, I can’t take this, it’s really sweet of you, but I can’t.” She handed him back the tablet.

 

He sighed. “Okay, tell you what, consider it a loan, you can use mine until you get yours and then you give it back to me.”

 

She bit her lower lip, considering.

 

“Look, I don’t even know the first thing on how to operate that, I still have five years of technology to catch up on.”

 

She eyed him for a moment before a smile spread on her lips. “Okay, but in exchange, I can help you, you know, catching up on tech, I’m pretty good with all that,” she gestured around her office.

 

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

 

“Sounds like we have a deal, then.”

 

“We have a deal.”  

 

He took one of her hands with one of his and put the tablet in it, closing her fingers around it, maybe lingering a bit with his hand over hers. “Take good care of it.”

 

She nodded, words somewhat lost in the way he was looking at her, still feeling the heat of his fingers in her hand even though they were no longer there.

 

“Can I come tomorrow?” He smiled, pleased with how things were turning out.

 

“Tomorrow,” she managed to say.

 

His smile grew wider and he stepped towards the door. “See you later, then. Bye, Felicity.”

 

When she turned to answer he was gone.  “Bye,” she said to the empty room, sighing as she realized she might be in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, what did you think? Tell me?
> 
> The physical therapy I took mostly from personal experience but since the situation is a bit different I may have gotten things wrong, I'm sorry if I did.
> 
> Next chapter will probably take a couple weeks cause I have a ton of tests coming. Thank you for your patience.
> 
> Oh and before I forget, everything that happens from here on out is callistawolf's fault.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was:
> 
> Oliver is seconds away from losing Felicity for real and in a fit of desperation, wishes that he was never stranded on Lian Yu because his mission meant not having her.
> 
> Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for.
> 
> So, I took my liberties with the idea, what did you guys think? I'm debating on wether or not to continue this.  
> Please leave a comment letting me know.
> 
> I'm also on tumblr as amandaecs.tumblr.com if you rather talk there :)


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